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KNOXVILLE -- The facts surrounding the future success of the University of Tennessee basketball team aren't lost on forward Wayne Chism.

With leading scorers Chris Lofton and JaJuan Smith having graduated, and Ramar Smith and Duke Crews dismissed from the team earlier this year, the 6-foot-9 junior knows he has to become a major force in the paint for the Vols to advance past the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, where they ended their last two seasons.

Accordingly, Chism, who averaged 9.9 points and 5.8 rebounds last year, has dedicated his time to improving on the basketball court.

"I've been lifting weights at 6:45 in the morning," said Chism, who was ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 34 overall prospect out of Bolivar Central High School in 2006. "After that, I go to class and then go to my workouts. That's about it for my day."

The focus has been mainly on his inside game, rather than a jump shot that allowed Chism to connect on 32 percent of his 3-point shots last season.

"I've been working on my post game. I've got to get better at that," Chism said. "So I've been in the weight room getting stronger and in the gym working on my shots."

Junior forward Tyler Smith has noticed a difference in Chism from this time last year.

"He's a lot stronger around the basket, and he's got a lot more moves," said Smith, who averaged 13.6 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds last year. "A lot of his moves were jump hooks, but now he has a little fadeaway jumper. He's been watching a little of (Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett) with a shimmy and trying to get a bucket.

"He's been working hard, so I think he's getting a lot better at it."

On Wednesday night, during the second day of the Rocky Top Summer League at Bearden High School, Chism showed his newly developed post game. In Toyota of Knoxville's 104-96 victory over The News Sentinel, the Jackson native scored nine points on 4-of-10 shooting in only 12 minutes, 7 seconds of action. But when Chism attacked the basket instead of settling for a jumper, he was 4-for-7.

More impressive still, the right-handed-shooting Chism made three of the baskets with his left hand. The other score was a reverse dunk on a fast break.

"I've been working on my (left hand) a whole lot," Chism said. "I'm glad I'm getting better with my left hand."

Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl recently said Chism should be compared to former Florida forward Al Horford, who was second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting this year and won two national championships as a Gator.

Smith also thinks Chism has the potential to be as good as Horford.

"Wayne, he's just like Horford, but I think (Chism) has a better offensive game," Smith said. "He can step out and hit a 3. But I can't say (Chism) is with (Horford), because Horford is in the NBA. But (Chism) is well on his way."

Former Maryville High School standout Andy Tipton also chipped in nine points for Toyota, which was led by ex-UT player Rashard Lee's 28 points.

"I played all right," Tipton said. "My shot wasn't falling in the first half and other guys were scoring, so I was just trying to do my best on defense to help them out. In the second half, I got hot and knocked down a couple shots."

The Sentinel was guided by former UT star Ron Slay's 30 points. Maryville College's Raul Placeres added 13.

Incoming UT freshmen Philip Jurick and Renaldo Woolridge didn't suit up for The Sentinel.